Incoming Seiko Prospex LX - SNR029 (Pic heavy!)

[MickCollins1916]

I had been been toying with the idea of picking up either the GS SBGA231 diver or the SNR029 for some time. I may still end up with both titanium models eventually, but I went with the SNR029 first.

There are a few detailed reviews online, but not a ton of them. I won’t get too technical, but I thought a size comparison with a few other divers many of us are familiar with might be helpful. One of my pre-purchase concerns was how large the SNR029 is on paper, and what that translates to in terms of relative wearability. I hope this info helps potential buyers who are considering this excellent watch.

I picked the SNR029 up yesterday and it hasn’t left my wrist. It’s a large hunk of metal, but the Seiko high-intensity titanium renders it light and a joy on the wrist. It is a large watch, yet fit under the cuff of my Brooks Bros. dress shirt comfortably.








I tend to like brushed bracelets more than those containing polished links for tool watches, and this one has that feature; the GS SBGA231 contains some polished links on the bracelet...which won’t dissuade me from picking it up someday, in all likelihood, but I liked this finish enough for it to be higher priority between the two. The individual links have dramatic angles and slope sharply downward, and I think it’s a very appealing look.




Though Seiko lists the case size as 44.8mm, I think this watch is very wearable on my ~7 inch wrist. I was skeptical, looking at the measurements online before seeing it in the metal, but I think it compares favorably in terms of actual wearing size to my SD43, another watch I opposed before seeing in person, based on the measurements, but liked a lot in the metal.






From my perspective, the SNR029 and the SD43 are both large watches, without a doubt, but both hide their relative measurements well, in terms of how surprisingly wearable they are for me. Here are a few shots of each on my wrist, taken from roughly the same angles.








Here’s the SNR029 next to the SLA039:



The SNR029 compared to the Rolex 116610lv:




The SNR029 next to the Rolex 16600 and Seiko SLA033 “Willard” reissue, respectively:




The SNR029 is a very legible watch - though I was excited to pick up my first spring drive, count me amongst those detractors of the power reserve indicator on the dial prior to my purchase. Turns out it kind of melts into the background for me on the wrist, along with the Prospex logo and all of the text above 6. It hasn’t distracted me at all to this point, but maybe I’ll tire of it down the road. We shall see, but for now, totally fine, not an issue.

The quality of finishing on the dial, markers, and around the date window is top-notch, and the bezel turns with precise, satisfying clicks.

The lume is full and fantastic, including the lume on the bezel between the 0 and 20 markers. It’s a very legible watch in low/no light.

The Zaratsu polishing on the case, coupled with it’s sharp, dramatic angles throughout, causes visually interesting interplay between the watch and sources of light.

I’ve read threads/reviews where the Seiko ratcheting clasp is derided extensively, and comments about how thick it is, relatively speaking. It’s no Glidelock in terms of functionality or quality, that’s for sure, but I am fine with it. Does it’s job for me, and was neither a decisive factor in favor of buying the watch nor a potential reason to avoid it. The bracelet is supremely comfortable and the clasp is adequate for my needs.





One question I had before buying was whether the quality of the watch relative to the $6k MSRP would be “worth it,” or not, whatever that means. I blanched at the price and went back and forth on it for awhile, since the prospect of an “expensive Seiko” sounds like somewhat of a contradiction, when one is used to SKXs and turtles and such. Those are great value watches, for their prices, but still, the fact they are each a far cry from the cost of SNR029 is reason to think carefully about the relative value proposition.

To me, this watch is worth the price of admission - I like the cool tech for the movement and expectations of future excellent performance, along with the fact that it says “Seiko” on the dial and that most passers-by wouldn’t give it a second glance. That was a selling point to me, and the finishing on the watch is excellent. YMMV.

I hope you enjoy the pics and that my (admittedly subjective) views on the watch are informative to some extent. So far, so good - cool watch!

[Cru Jones]

Congrats on the new watch!

Great write up and photos with useful comparisons. Thanks for your time.

[DCheeta]

First of all, congrats on the awesome watch!

Second, thanks for the great review and comparison photos. I’ve wanted this watch ever since it was introduced. It seems such a great design, inside and out. I just wonder about the size on my 6.75” wrist. Your review and photos have helped immensely!

Enjoy!

[interestedwatcher]

I have been very seriously considering the 29j - the green one. The spring drive movement is beautiful.

[TimeRookie]

Awesome review and comparison! I’ve already got the LX GMT and after our conversation and reading your thread you’ve got me thinking I need the 029 as well.

[1William]

Congratulations.

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by TimeRookie

Awesome review and comparison! I’ve already got the LX GMT and after our conversation and reading your thread you’ve got me thinking I need the 029 as well.

I’m always glad to serve as an enabler!

The pics of your SBGA231 are having a similar influence on me, man! Need it.

Originally Posted by interestedwatcher

I have been very seriously considering the 29j - the green one. The spring drive movement is beautiful.

Thanks...I think the green one is the SNR045 - I saw it in person when I picked up the 029 and it’s a stunner!

Originally Posted by 1William

Congratulations.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by DCheeta

First of all, congrats on the awesome watch!

Second, thanks for the great review and comparison photos. I’ve wanted this watch ever since it was introduced. It seems such a great design, inside and out. I just wonder about the size on my 6.75” wrist. Your review and photos have helped immensely!

Enjoy!

Thank you, I am glad it’s useful info. One thing I forgot to mention is the lug-to-lug size, and Seiko has it listed as 50.9mm on their site, and the lug-to-lug on my SD43 is 50mm, if I recall correctly. Appears my wrist is a fraction larger, but I’d encourage you to try it on and see what you think for sure!

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

Congrats on the new watch!

Great write up and photos with useful comparisons. Thanks for your time.

I appreciate the compliment and am glad folks may enjoy cruising this thread.


Still rocking this beast!

[AzHadEnuf]

Very nice Bill! Wear it in good health!

[Greglaw]

What a beautiful beast!

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by Greglaw

What a beautiful beast!

Thank you!

Originally Posted by AzHadEnuf

Very nice Bill! Wear it in good health!

Thanks, Ralph, and I hope you’re well!

[ap1]

Awesome comparison pics, enjoy it, looks like a beautiful beast

[Locust]

congrats! IT's a fantastic watch and totally underrated!

[Urosfan]

congrats

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by ap1

Awesome comparison pics, enjoy it, looks like a beautiful beast

Originally Posted by Locust

congrats! IT's a fantastic watch and totally underrated!

Originally Posted by Urosfan

congrats

Thanks, gents!

Still going strong. Perfect, comfortable fit on the bracelet and it’s enjoyable to have on the wrist.

[427shark]

Awesome watch and looks like you have a really nice dive collection. . I was thinking about adding the LX to my collection, the only concern is the large crown & if it digs into your wrist at all. Looks like your watches worn on your right wrist but have you experienced any discomfort due to crown?

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by 427shark

Awesome watch and looks like you have a really nice dive collection. . I was thinking about adding the LX to my collection, the only concern is the large crown & if it digs into your wrist at all. Looks like your watches worn on your right wrist but have you experienced any discomfort due to crown?

Thank you very much!

Yes, one of the drawbacks of being left-handed is that I can’t reset my watches without taking them off, but one of the benefits is that crowns tend not to bother me at all.

The crown on the 029 is no different - the way the watch is designed, and how high the crown sits, relative to the bottom of the case, I can’t imagine it bothering me on my left wrist either, but YMMV.



Tried it on my left wrist just to see how it looks:




As an aside that I didn’t mention in previous posts, I’ve read in others’ posts on Seiko dive watches that the ratcheting clasp isn’t great. However, I really like it.

I don’t want to use the word “primitive” to describe it, because I think that’s a bit aggressive, but it’s not nearly as refined as say, Glidelock. But it functions just fine and I’ve used it a few times already just to make a quick adjustment while wearing. Totally works.

I used to own a Tudor Pelagos and I know people generally seem fond of the clasp on those watches, but between the two (the Seiko and the Tudor one), I like the Seiko better. I could never get the right fit on my Pelagos clasp, and the Pelagos clasp was long compared to this one. I thought it took up too much real estate on the underside of my wrist and wasn’t a fan. This one’s fine.

[Rebel]

Great pics.

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by Rebel

Great pics.

Thank you, sir!

[TimeRookie]

Stop posting pictures you jerk!! You keep baiting me!!
I’m going to keep posting pictures of my GS231 to get even.

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by TimeRookie

Stop posting pictures you jerk!! You keep baiting me!!
I’m going to keep posting pictures of my GS231 to get even.

I’m glad to enable, my man!

Keep posting that 231...I only need a little nudge to end up with one!

[Eddie 500]

love this and the 231 equally

[ddaly12]

The teeth on that bezel... awesome!! What a beast of a watch. Enjoy bro!!


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[Jeronimo]

Spectacular, congratulations!

These have been on my mind since the first time I’ve seen them at the Ginza Seiko shop.

Enjoy your new watch!


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[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by ddaly12

The teeth on that bezel... awesome!! What a beast of a watch. Enjoy bro!!


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Originally Posted by Jeronimo

Spectacular, congratulations!

These have been on my mind since the first time I’ve seen them at the Ginza Seiko shop.

Enjoy your new watch!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Eddie 500

love this and the 231 equally

Thanks, guys!

The teeth on the bezel are robust-looking, and the bezel itself is rather tall. Totally fits with the case and adds to the tool watch feel.

I saw this watch at my local GS/Seiko Luxe AD awhile back. I couldn’t get this watch off my mind. Glad I went back and snagged it, highly recommend trying one on for yourselves if the opportunity arises.

[CALIFORNIA-BG]

I wanted one of these back in September, but they were non-existent in the Los Angeles market... So I ended up pulling the trigger on an SLA023 blue Marine Master.
I may revisit this piece.
If I may.... What was the price you paid for it?
I was given a very good price, but availability just wasn't there.

[Bosstime]

Heavy pictures indeed. Congrats and wear proudly

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by CALIFORNIA-BG

I wanted one of these back in September, but they were non-existent in the Los Angeles market... So I ended up pulling the trigger on an SLA023 blue Marine Master.
I may revisit this piece.
If I may.... What was the price you paid for it?
I was given a very good price, but availability just wasn't there.

I have a new-to-me SLA023 incoming this week and I’m very excited for it!

I’ll say this about the SNR029: I’m very happy with the value I got for what I paid. It’s an excellent watch.

Originally Posted by Bosstime

Heavy pictures indeed. Congrats and wear proudly

Thank you! I’m a huge fan, the honeymoon remains strong.

[Jfo122]

Great pictures bill. Congrats

[aff1]

Originally Posted by MickCollins1916

I had been been toying with the idea of picking up either the GS SBGA231 diver or the SNR029 for some time. I may still end up with both titanium models eventually, but I went with the SNR029 first.

There are a few detailed reviews online, but not a ton of them. I won’t get too technical, but I thought a size comparison with a few other divers many of us are familiar with might be helpful. One of my pre-purchase concerns was how large the SNR029 is on paper, and what that translates to in terms of relative wearability. I hope this info helps potential buyers who are considering this excellent watch.

I picked the SNR029 up yesterday and it hasn’t left my wrist. It’s a large hunk of metal, but the Seiko high-intensity titanium renders it light and a joy on the wrist. It is a large watch, yet fit under the cuff of my Brooks Bros. dress shirt comfortably.








I tend to like brushed bracelets more than those containing polished links for tool watches, and this one has that feature; the GS SBGA231 contains some polished links on the bracelet...which won’t dissuade me from picking it up someday, in all likelihood, but I liked this finish enough for it to be higher priority between the two. The individual links have dramatic angles and slope sharply downward, and I think it’s a very appealing look.




Though Seiko lists the case size as 44.8mm, I think this watch is very wearable on my ~7 inch wrist. I was skeptical, looking at the measurements online before seeing it in the metal, but I think it compares favorably in terms of actual wearing size to my SD43, another watch I opposed before seeing in person, based on the measurements, but liked a lot in the metal.






From my perspective, the SNR029 and the SD43 are both large watches, without a doubt, but both hide their relative measurements well, in terms of how surprisingly wearable they are for me. Here are a few shots of each on my wrist, taken from roughly the same angles.








Here’s the SNR029 next to the SLA039:



The SNR029 compared to the Rolex 116610lv:




The SNR029 next to the Rolex 16600 and Seiko SLA033 “Willard” reissue, respectively:




The SNR029 is a very legible watch - though I was excited to pick up my first spring drive, count me amongst those detractors of the power reserve indicator on the dial prior to my purchase. Turns out it kind of melts into the background for me on the wrist, along with the Prospex logo and all of the text above 6. It hasn’t distracted me at all to this point, but maybe I’ll tire of it down the road. We shall see, but for now, totally fine, not an issue.

The quality of finishing on the dial, markers, and around the date window is top-notch, and the bezel turns with precise, satisfying clicks.

The lume is full and fantastic, including the lume on the bezel between the 0 and 20 markers. It’s a very legible watch in low/no light.

The Zaratsu polishing on the case, coupled with it’s sharp, dramatic angles throughout, causes visually interesting interplay between the watch and sources of light.

I’ve read threads/reviews where the Seiko ratcheting clasp is derided extensively, and comments about how thick it is, relatively speaking. It’s no Glidelock in terms of functionality or quality, that’s for sure, but I am fine with it. Does it’s job for me, and was neither a decisive factor in favor of buying the watch nor a potential reason to avoid it. The bracelet is supremely comfortable and the clasp is adequate for my needs.





One question I had before buying was whether the quality of the watch relative to the $6k MSRP would be “worth it,” or not, whatever that means. I blanched at the price and went back and forth on it for awhile, since the prospect of an “expensive Seiko” sounds like somewhat of a contradiction, when one is used to SKXs and turtles and such. Those are great value watches, for their prices, but still, the fact they are each a far cry from the cost of SNR029 is reason to think carefully about the relative value proposition.

To me, this watch is worth the price of admission - I like the cool tech for the movement and expectations of future excellent performance, along with the fact that it says “Seiko” on the dial and that most passers-by wouldn’t give it a second glance. That was a selling point to me, and the finishing on the watch is excellent. YMMV.

I hope you enjoy the pics and that my (admittedly subjective) views on the watch are informative to some extent. So far, so good - cool watch!

It's definitely worth the price. Congratulations on this stunning addition.

[MickCollins1916]

Originally Posted by Jfo122

Great pictures bill. Congrats

Originally Posted by aff1

It's definitely worth the price. Congratulations on this stunning addition.

Thanks! Much appreciated.

It’s been my most-worn watch since I picked it up, if that says anything. Huge fan.